How to File a DBA in New Jersey
In New Jersey a DBA is a trade name filed with the county clerk, or an alternate name an LLC or corporation registers with the state for $50. No newspaper notice. Attorney review available.
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Introduction
In New Jersey, a DBA is the public registration that lets a person or business use a name different from its legal name, and it creates no separate legal entity. New Jersey splits the filing by who is filing. A sole proprietor or a general partnership registers a trade name (an assumed name) with the county clerk of each county where it does business, under N.J.S.A. 56:1-2. A New Jersey LLC, corporation, or limited partnership instead registers an alternate name with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services on Form C-150G, and the state filing fee is $50 (N.J.S.A. 14A:2-2.1 for corporations and N.J.S.A. 42:2C-9 for LLCs). The county trade name fee is set by each county and is commonly around $50, so confirm the amount with your county clerk. New Jersey does not require you to publish a DBA notice in a newspaper for either path. A registered alternate name is effective for five years and may be renewed for successive five-year periods using Form C-150R; a county trade name certificate has no fixed expiration term and stays in effect until it is withdrawn. Filing a DBA does not create a corporation or an LLC, does not shield the owner from personal liability, and gives no trademark or exclusive right to the name. DocDraft builds your New Jersey trade name or alternate name filing from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
- 1
In New Jersey a DBA is called a trade name or an alternate name. It is a public registration that lets you use a business name different from the legal name; it creates no separate legal entity.
- 2
New Jersey splits the filing by filer type. A sole proprietor or general partnership registers a trade name with the county clerk of each county where it does business (N.J.S.A. 56:1-2).
- 3
A New Jersey LLC, corporation, or limited partnership registers an alternate name with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services on Form C-150G. The state fee is $50 (N.J.S.A. 14A:2-2.1; N.J.S.A. 42:2C-9).
- 4
The county trade name fee is set by each county and is commonly around $50, so confirm the current amount with your county clerk. The $50 state fee applies to the entity alternate name.
- 5
New Jersey does not require newspaper publication of a DBA for either the county trade name or the state alternate name.
- 6
A registered alternate name is effective for five years and may be renewed for successive five-year periods using Form C-150R. A county trade name certificate has no fixed expiration and stays in effect until it is withdrawn.
- 7
A DBA gives you no ownership of or exclusive right to the name, and it does not limit your liability. A sole proprietor with a trade name is still personally responsible for the business.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a DBA (Doing Business As) in New Jersey, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The DBA (Doing Business As) guide walks through them.
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New Jersey Requirements for DBA (Doing Business As)
File by Filer Type
New Jersey splits the DBA filing. A sole proprietor or general partnership registers a trade name with the county clerk of each county where it does business (N.J.S.A. 56:1-2), while an LLC, corporation, or limited partnership registers a state alternate name.
Entity Alternate Name and Fee
An LLC, corporation, or limited partnership registers an alternate name with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services on Form C-150G. The state filing fee is 50 dollars (N.J.S.A. 14A:2-2.1; N.J.S.A. 42:2C-9).
County-Set Trade Name Fee
The county trade name fee is set by each county and is commonly around 50 dollars, so confirm the current amount with your county clerk. The 50 dollar state fee applies to the entity alternate name.
The Assumed Name
The exact trade name or alternate name to register. It must not include a word such as Corporation, Incorporated, LLC, or Limited unless the registrant is that type of entity.
Registrant and Owners
The full legal name and address of the registrant, the registrant type, and each owner. For a general partnership, every partner is listed on the trade name certificate.
No Newspaper Publication
New Jersey does not require you to publish a DBA notice in a newspaper for either the county trade name or the state alternate name.
Five-Year Alternate Name Term
A state alternate name registration is effective for five years and may be renewed for successive five-year periods using Form C-150R. A county trade name certificate has no fixed expiration and stays in effect until it is withdrawn.
No Entity, No Trademark, No Liability Shield
A New Jersey DBA is only a name registration. It creates no separate legal entity, gives no exclusive right or trademark in the name, and does not limit the personal liability of a sole proprietor or general partner.